


Spider Tea

by Three_Oaks



Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Halloween, M/M, The Title makes sense in context, very soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27266995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Three_Oaks/pseuds/Three_Oaks
Summary: Of all the nights to be stuck in the field, it had to be that night. Benji's favorite night. Halloween. Or: how Ethan and Benji make do with no pumpkin, no candy, and some very old tea.
Relationships: Benji Dunn/Ethan Hunt
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	Spider Tea

**Author's Note:**

> Can I offer you a random piece of fluff in this trying time?

Benji looked at the rain falling softly outside the window. It was cold and dark and gloomy, which would usually have delighted him on that particular night, but today only reminded him where he was. In an abandoned farm. In the worst, muddiest, most isolated countryside that man had ever seen. Laying low, waiting for the mercenaries that had been sent after them to give up on their very clear intent to execute them. Well, maybe he shouldn't complain so much. He wasn't alone, after all.

"Everything alright, Benji?" Ethan asked. "Here's a cup of tea, I found some in a cupboard. It may have spiders in it."

"Spider tea. How appropriate," he muttered.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing, nothing! Thank you, love."

He grabbed the fuming cup and blew on its surface, watching the ripples and the steam rise in the cold air. He smiled at Ethan. Of course he'd empty out the house to get him a cup of tea.

"Want to sit with me for a bit? Or is there any threat to thwart?" he joked.

"The threats can wait," Ethan said, sliding an arm across Benji's shoulder and pulling himself close. "They're not worth it." He kissed Benji on the cheek, and rested his head against his, in the most natural gesture.

Benji still couldn't believe it. Ethan and him, a couple? Never in a million year. At least, that's what he'd told himself, over and over, inventing reasons why he should just shut up and keep his crush for himself. Until three months ago. Turns out, all they needed was twelve years, an injury they thought fatal, and some good old fashioned, but very tearful, admission of love. 

"I love you," he said, planting a small kiss at the corner of Ethan's mouths.

"I love you too," Ethan answered, with unwavering certitude. It warmed Benji's heart and soul, more than he thought was possible.

They sat together for a while, not needing to speak. Ethan was running his hands through Benji's hair, that were starting to curl around his ears. He should really cut them when he got back, but Ethan liked it that way. Maybe he'd keep it.

Just a pity that they were stuck there, on that night. His favorite night.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" 

"What? Nothing's going on," he said purposefully taking a big gulp of his spider tea.

"Benji, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know, I know! It's just... it's stupid."

"If it matters to you, it's not stupid."

God, what had he done to deserve the man? He fidgeted a bit more with his cup, before taking the plunge.

"Do you know what day today is?"

"October 31st, right?"

"No. Well, yes, technically. But that's not what matters. It's Halloween."

"Halloween?" Ethan looked surprised.

"See, I told you it was stupid," Benji said, looking down. "It's childish, I know. It's just... it's my favorite holiday." 

"Benji. It's not stupid," Ethan said. "Tell me about it."

"It's nothing. It's just... every year, I get the biggest pumpkin I can find, and then spend way too much time carving it. I buy candy and tell myself it's for the kids, and eat way too much of it. Then I watch hammy horror movies until I pass out."

"That sounds wonderful."

"It's the one night were things are weird, and scary, and don't have to make sense. It's not like Christmas, or birthdays, or... or anything else. And of course, we're stuck on this muddy, dusty farm, with hitmen after us." For the first time, he didn't bother hiding how disappointed he was. But instead of telling him how there was always next year, or that it was just a kid's holiday, Ethan jumped to his feet.

"Benji. Please... Please, don't move."

"What?" 

"Just don't move. I'll be back. I love you," Ethan said, before leaving Benji alone and bemused. 

Well, at least Ethan hadn't seemed to find his secret love for Halloween too ridiculous. He finished his tea, slowly. He didn't know if it was that Ethan had made it with love, or the spiders, but it was the best tea he'd had in a long time.

***

"Benji, honey, could you close your eyes, please?"

He did. Some ruffling, things being set down. What had Ethan done this time? 

"Ok, there. You can open them. Happy Halloween, Benji."

Ethan stood behind the table, with a shy smile. On it laid a unidentifiable vegetable, brown, wrinkled, probably partially eaten by some animal, and in which someone had carefully carved two eyes and a toothy grin. Next to it was a bowl of what looked like age-old mints, some dustier than others. Benji felt his eyes getting misty.

"Is that a potato?" he asked, hoping to distract Ethan from the fact that he'd been brought nearly to tears by old produce.

"I'm not sure," Ethan said, looking slightly ashamed. "I found it in the basement."

"It's wonderful. It's the most beautiful Halloween... thing I've ever seen."

"There's candy, too! Maybe don't eat it. I think it's older than me. They were stuck behind the medicine cabinet."

"Trying to poison me, Agent Hunt?"

"I would never!"

Defiantly, Benji popped one in his mouth. 

"What better way to die than poisoned by Halloween candy anyway?"

"Please don't die. I'd miss you."

"Come here and give me a kiss, and I promise I won't." 

Ethan complied, warmly grinning all the while, before sitting next to him.

"Now the only thing missing is a good horror movie. Or a terrible one."

"I heard a ghost story, once."

"You could always tell it," Benji suggested.

"What if we get scared?"

"Then I guess we'll have to cuddle to comfort each other."

"How terrible," Ethan smiled.

"Yes. I don't know how we'll cope."

"What a wonderful night indeed," he said, pulling Benji close.

Maybe it wasn't so bad, in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that I have celebrated Halloween exactly once, and I was 6. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
